Estonia’s Operail has obtained authorisation to operate modified C30-M locomotives with a single-person crew. One loco has been converted, with four or five more to follow this year. ‘Operation with two people is a historical relic that once ensured safety if something happened to one of the drivers. Today, it is possible to ensure an excellent level of safety with technical aids that detect deviations in the driver’s work and stop the train if necessary. Two-person operation is only reasonable for shunting work’, said CEO Merle Kurvits.
Canadian Pacific Kansas City has completed the US$100m construction of an additional bridge to provide a second track over the Rio Grande between Laredo in Texas and Nuevo Laredo in Tamaulipas in Mexico. ’Completion of this internationally important project more than doubles our capacity to move freight through the border at the largest international trade port of entry in North America’, said President & CEO Keith Creel on December 17. It has been named the Patrick J Ottensmeyer International Railway Bridge, after the last KCS President & CEO who died in 2024.
In December RENFE Alquiler announced that it had awarded Stadler Valencia a firm order to supply a further six Euro6000 locos under an existing framework contract.
Aggregate Industries has awarded GB Railfreight a four-year extension to its contract to move aggregates from Bardon Hill and the Isle of Grain.
In response to US President-elect Trump’s nomination of David Fink to lead the Federal Railroad Administration, Chuck Baker, President of the American Short Line & Regional Railroad Association said ’David will bring a fulsome understanding of the entirety of the unique, interconnected US freight rail network. As the CEO of short line railroad PanAm Railways prior to its sale, David was an active and respected participant in our association. Under his leadership, PanAm was an industry-award winning company. He has extensive experience interacting with all of the relevant stakeholders in the rail industry. We know him as a high energy, solution-minded strategist, and, following his confirmation, look forward to working with him on smart regulations that advance the safety of rail in the US and on expediting the FRA’s critical infrastructure investment programmes.’
Tarmac has renewed its lease of 30 JGA-M tank wagons owned by VTG Rail UK for a further five years from January 1 2025. They will be retrofitted with VTG’s iWagon monitoring technology.
Norfolk Southern Corp has named Ann A Adams as Chief Human Resources Officer and PC Bryant has been named Vice-President, Human Resources.